The 21st Century Maritime Silk Road China (Guangdong) International Communication Forum will be held in Zhuhai, Guangdong Province, from Sept 19 to 21.

The forum will bring together over a thousand delegates and be attended by former French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin, 2011 Nobel Laureate in Economics Thomas J Sargent, and Zhu Yeyu, vice president of the Hong Kong University of Science & Technology.

Hosted by China Media Group and the People's Government of Guangdong, the forum will showcase achievements of the province in becoming a major gateway linking China with the world. The province also provides an example of the benefits of China's policy of Reform & Opening Up, which marks its 40th anniversary this year.

Press conference on the preparations and the latest developments for the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road China (Guangdong) International Communication Forum in Guangdong Province, on Sept 11.

On Tuesday at a media briefing organized by the Guangdong Provincial Government, one of the hosts, Bai Jie, executive vice director of the Publicity Department of the CPC Guangdong Provincial Committee, said that the theme is "New Era, New Silk Road, New Image." The forum will inclusively showcase Guangdong's Reform & Opening Up achievements over the past four decades and its positive results in constituting new opening-up pattern, she proclaimed.

Bai Jie, executive vice director of the Publicity Department of the CPC Guangdong Provincial Committee, attends the press conference on Sept 11.

As well as being an opportunity to look back at past achievements in the region, the forum will look forward to what's being done in Guangdong to advance the development of the Belt & Road Initiative. And there will be discussions of the role of the province as part of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and opportunities to improve regional integration.

China Media Group, which consists of China Central Television, China National Radio, and China Radio International, is the other host. The vice president of China Radio International, Hu Bangsheng, said China has already made major breakthroughs in constructing the Maritime Silk Road. Hu said that, as the world faces a rising tide of conflicts as seen in the growth of trade protectionism and unilateralism, China Media Group has an important role to play as a voice of China on the international stage.

Hu Bangsheng, vice president of China Radio International of the China Media Group, delivers a speech at the press conference on Sept 11. [Photos courtesy China Plus]

Several exhibitions will cover publishing, intelligent manufacturing, and cultural innovation, along with performances with a Maritime Silk Road theme and events promoting the host city of Zhuhai. The forum will also issue the 2018 One Belt & One Road Action Report on Guangdong Companies Going Global.